choosing the diction, using the appropriate grammar as well as writing styles and genres. In this process, a students-centered activity will give the students more
chance to improve their writing.
6. Testing and Scoring in Writing
A writer should pay attention to the precision of choosing and using words, appropriateness to the title, text cohesion, and paragraph unity to make a good
writing. Meanwhile, Genesee and Upshur 1997: 206 mention there are two general types of scoring students’ writing. They are holistic and analytic scoring.
In holistic scoring, a single score is assigned to a student’s overall test performance. It represent
s the teachers’ overall impressions and judgments of students’ writing. Genese and Uphsure then emphasize that this type of scoring
provides no detail about specific aspects of performance so that it is not very useful in guiding the teaching and learning process of writing.
On the other hand, in analytical scoring, different components and features of students
’ writing are given separate scores. The components are content dealing with the appropriateness to the title, organization dealing with the text cohesion
and paragraph unity, vocabulary dealing with the precision of choosing and using word and language style, language use dealing with grammar, and mechanics
dealing with spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. Brown and Bailey 1984: 39-41 in Brown 2004: 243
– 245 propose analytic scale for rating composition in the following table 2.2.
Table 2.2. Analytical scale for rating composition tasks
5 4
3 2
1
1.Organization Appropriate title; effective
introduction paragraph; topic is
stated; transitional expression used;
arrangement of material shows
plan; supporting evidence given for
generalization; conclusion logical
and complete Adequate title;
introduction and conclusion; body
of essay is acceptable; but
some evidence may be lacking;
some ideas aren’t fully developed;
sequence in logical but
transitional expression a may
be absent or missed
Scant introduction or conclusion;
problems with the order of ideas in
body; the generalization
may not fully supported by the
evidence given; problems of
organization interfere
Shaky or minimally
recognizable introduction;
organization can barely be seen;
severe problems with ordering of
ideas; lack of supporting
evidence; conclusion weak
or illogical; inadequate effort
at organization Absence of
introductions or conclusion; no
apparent organization of
body, severe lack of
supporting evidence; writer
has not made any effort to
organize the composition
2.Content Essay addresses
the assigned topic; the ideas are
concrete and thoroughly
developed; no extraneous
material; essay reflect thought
Essay addresses the issue but
misses some points; ideas
could be more fully developed;
some extraneous material is present
Development of ideas not
complete or essay is somewhat off
the topic;
paragraphs aren’t divided exactly
right Ideas incomplete;
e ssay doesn’t
reflect careful thinking or was
hurriedly written; inadequate effort
in area of content Essay is
completely inadequate and
doesn’t reflect high school
level work; no apparent effort
to consider the topic carefully
3.Grammar Native-like
fluency in English grammar; correct
use of relative clauses,
prepositions, modals, articles,
verb forms, and tense sequencing,
no fragments or run-on sentences
Advanced proficiency in
English grammar; some grammar
problems don’t influence
communication, although the
reader is aware of them, no
fragments or run- on sentences
Ideas are getting through to the
reader, but grammar
problems are apparent and have
a negative effect on
communication; run-on sentence or
fragments present Numerous serious
grammar problems interfere
with communication of
the writer’s ideas; grammar review
of some areas clearly needed;
difficult to read sentences
Severe grammar problems
interfere greatly with the
message; reader
can’t understand what the writer
was trying to say;
unintelligible sentence
structure
4.Punctuation, spelling, and
mechanics Correct use of
English writing conventions; left
and right margins, all needed
capitals, paragraphs
indeed, punctuation and
spelling; very neat Some problems
with writing conventions or
punctuation; occasional
spelling errors; left margin
correct; paper is neat and legible
Uses the general writing
conventions but has errors;
spelling problems distruct reader;
punctuation errors interfere with
ideas Serious problems
with format of paper; part of
essay not legible; errors in sentence
punctuation; unacceptable to
educated readers Complete
disregard for English writing
conventions; paper illegible;
obvious capitals missing, no
margins, severe spelling
problems
5.Vocabulary Precise
vocabulary usage; use of parallel
structures; concise; register
good Attempts variety;
good vocabulary; not wordy;
register OK; style fairly concise
Some vocabulary misused; lacks
awareness of register; may be
too wordy Poor expression
of ideas; problem in vocabulary;
lack of variety of structure
Inappropriate use of
vocabulary; no concept of
register of sentence variety
The analytical scoring of essay may be appropriately suited, since the curricular goal and the variety of the students’ need. Level of proficiency can
make significant difference in emphasis. Since writing is a composing process, the composition test is essay form as the final test for the students. The table of
specifications in testing writing skill is suitable with the indicators used in the lesson plans in teaching writing skill. The are three microskills grammar,
vocabulary, and mechanics and two macroskills content and organization. The scoring rubrics ranges analytically from 5 to 1 for excellent to good 5, good to
adequate 4, adequate to fair 3, unacceptable 2, and not high school- level work 1 of the students’ composition works based on every criteria stated above
As suggested by Jacobs, et al. 1981 in Brown, 2004: 246, in the analytical scoring profile, five slightly different categories are given the point values as
follows: Content
= 30 Organization
= 20 Vocabulary
= 20 Grammar
= 25 Mechanics
= 5 Total
= 100
B. Discovery Learning
